14 Days – Wild about Wildlife

Day One to Four

Start your Australian wildlife adventure in Melbourne, a diverse multicultural city famous for hosting fantastic sport events such as the Australian Open of Tennis and the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix. Melbourne is also a gateway to some of Australia’s most amazing wildlife and scenic locations including:

• Phillip Island, famous for Australia’s largest colony of Little Penguins and fur seals
  
• The Great Ocean Road with the Twelve Apostles rock formation, where you can learn to surf, spot Koalas, go bushwalking and enjoy a breath taking coastal scenery.
  
• The Yarra Valley with its boutique wineries, award winning restaurants and Healesville Sanctuary, home to platypus, koalas, wallabies and emus.
  
• The Mornington Peninsula and its colourful beach boxes, dolphin swims and spa experiences.

If you are into nature, you will want to get out and about straight away. However, it is worth spending a couple of days in Melbourne relaxing after the flight with spa treatments, meandering the laneways and enjoying long lunches overlooking the Yarra River.

Highlights:

• Swim with dolphins and seals at Port Phillip Bay
  
• Learn more about the platypus at Healesville Sanctuary in the Yarra Valley wine region
  
• Enjoy a round of golf at Anglesea Golf Course and share the course with curious kangaroos hopping along.
  
• See Koalas in the Otway National Park and discover their natural habitat.
  
• Watch the nightly parade of Little Penguins as they waddle up the beach in their hundreds on Phillip Island.

Day Five to Nine

Fly from Melbourne to Launceston, Tasmania. Tasmania is an island paradise, just an hour from the mainland and offers visitors so much. As well as abundant wildlife, you will experience a friendly welcome, great food and wine, and some of the world’s most beautiful scenery. The island can be divided roughly in to these main areas:

• Hobart and surrounds – historic, arty, great pubs and restaurants, wildlife parks
  
• East Coast – beautiful coastline and beaches, spectacular Freycinet Peninsula, walking trails
  
• Launceston – a gourmet’s paradise, winery
  
• West Coast – pristine wilderness, rivers and lakes, stunning alpine scenery
  
• The island can change dramatically from rainforest valleys and highland lakes to long white beaches within just a 90 minute drive.

Hiring a car and self-driving is a great way to explore the island. Allow four days to really explore each side of the island – the east coast features stunning coastlines while the west coast has pristine wilderness. Work your way down either side of the island, ending up in the historic and artistic capital of Hobart.

Remember to take care when driving a dusk and night as the animals come out to play. The island is teeming with wildlife. Even on a short walk you may come across a wombat or wallaby.

Highlights:

• Visit a wildlife sanctuary to learn more about the endangered Tassie Devils
  
• Take a cruise to Bruny Island (35 minutes from Hobart) to spot endangered birds and lots of wildlife
  
• Join one of the guided walks in Cradle Mountain National Park to spot wallabies, platypus and wombats
  
• Cruise the pristine, tranquil waters of the Franklin River
  
• Visit the at galleries and markets of Hobart’s historic Salamanca precinct

Day Ten to Fourteen

Fly to Adelaide, the friendly capital city of South Australia. Adelaide is known as the ‘20 minute city ‘– you can hold a koala, swim with dolphins and taste delicious wines – all within 20 minutes of the city centre.

There are many reasons for staying on in Adelaide for several days, but nature lovers will be looking forward to a visit to Kangaroo Island, known as ‘Australia’s Galapagos’ due to the abundance of native wildlife. Kangaroos, echidnas, platypus, koalas and a huge number of native birdlife can be found here living in the wild.

Getting here is easy – a scenic 30 minute flight from Adelaide to Kingscote or a two hour drive to Cape Jervis then a 45 minute ferry to Penneshaw.

There are several accommodation options on the island ranging from backpacker hostels and three/four star hotels to wilderness retreats and ultraluxurious lodges.

• Spot some of Kangaroo Island’s 30,000 strong population of koalas nestled in the islands eucalyptus trees
  
• Get acquainted the seals on the beach at Seal Bay
  
• Admire the spectacular formations of the Remarkable Rocks
  
• Taste magnificent whites and reds from the burgeoning Kangaroo Island wine industry
  
• Be pampered in the spa at one of Australia’s true luxury lodges

Useful Links

• Melbourne
  
• Great Ocean Road
  
• Tasmania
  
• Adelaide
  
• Kangaroo Island